The International Criminal Court (ICC), located in The Hague, is the court of last resort for prosecution of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Its founding treaty, the Rome Statute, entered into force on July 1, 2002. As of July 2013, the ICC had 122 states parties, opened investigations in eight countries, and issued two verdicts (Lubanga case and Ngudjolo case). Over the last decade as the court has gotten up-and-running, it has made significant headway in putting international justice on the map, giving rise to increased expectations wherever the world’s worst crimes occur. This was poignantly demonstrated by the signs held by Syrian anti-government protesters that read “Assad to The Hague,” a reference to abuses of the country’s president. But while the ICC is now the primary address for international criminal accountability, its daunting mandate and world-wide reach have made the flaws in its workings more visible. The governments on which the ICC depends to carry out its mandate have been inconsistent in their support, particularly when it comes to arrests. In June 2012, Fatou Bensouda was sworn in as the court’s new head prosecutor. Arrest warrants are pending for suspects in the Libya, Sudan, Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, and Congo investigations. The court and its member countries face major challenges in meeting expanded expectations for the court in its second decade.

July 1 marks the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the first permanent international court with a mandate to investigate, charge, and try people suspected of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes worldwide. At the ripe old age of 10, the court has become a high-profile institution on the world stage -- central to nearly every call for international justice for the most serious crimes.

International Criminal Court

The Central African Republic’s transitional parliament should adopt a draft law establishing a Special Criminal Court, 19 Central African and International groups said today. Such a court would speed up justice for victims of atrocities in the country.

The interim parliament for the Central African Republic is about to consider a bill to establish a Special Criminal Court to complement the work of the International Criminal Court in the country and speed up justice for victims of atrocities since the current conflict began three years ago. This is why the bill needs and deserves support from members of the transition parliament.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor’s decision to open a preliminary examination into the situation in Palestine is a potential first step toward reducing the impunity in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has left thousands of victims without justice.

The transfer of a Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an important opportunity to achieve a measure of justice for crimes committed by the rebel group, Human Rights Watch said. Dominic Ongwen arrived in the Netherlands on January 21, 2015, to face charges of four counts of war crimes and three counts of crimes against humanity committed in 2004 in northern Uganda.

African countries expressed strong support for the International Criminal Court at the 13th Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, African and international organizations present at the session said. The governments showed a more positive picture of Africa’s relationship with the ICC than is often reflected in public debates.

The ICC continues to face challenges in its ability to function independently and effectively as a result of decisions by the African Union and initiatives by the government of Kenya. The ICC is not a perfect institution, but it remains a crucial court of last resort in addressing international crimes.